The Tower Bridge

This was shot during a visit to Sacramento’s Old Town and Train Museum. The Tower Bridge is a vertical lift bridge across the Sacramento River, linking West Sacramento in Yolo County to the east.

In 1911, construction was completed on the M Street Bridge in Sacramento. In 1933, the city realized that it needed a better crossing over the Sacramento River in case of war, and that the existing bridge was highly inadequate to handle heavy traffic.

In 2001, as the old paint job could hardly be distinguished, residents who lived within 35 mi (56 km) of the capital voted on a new color scheme. Their choices were burgundy, green, silver and gold; or all gold. The winning color was all gold, and it was repainted in 2002.

However, that did not lessen the bridge’s color controversy. Some people complained that the new paint was not as gilded as advertised. Others have suggested that copper would have been a far better color choice, especially in the context of nearby buildings. The new coat is expected to last 30 years. www.kerstenbeck.com